COMMENTARY: Justice Via Sound Bite; Employers Don't Let Employees Drive Drunk
By Tony RutherfordHuntington News Network Writer
We can't do justice or elect a president through media sound bytes. I added the president portion, but a national commentator made the sound bite observation in reference to the Duke fiasco where a prosecuting attorney has now been disbarred for failing to turn over to the defense DNA evidence that cleared the suspects.
Intriguingly, at the time of the accusation Al Sharpton was defending the exotic dancer and leading full protests. When the exoneration occurred, few have been outside to express their opinion.
Other questions remain --- can the families recover their legal fees by suing? Duke University has already been targeted but the disgraced prosecutor, Mike Nifong, may escape civil liability through various immunity from suit precedents.
Statements have now been affirmed that the NC prosecutor succumbed to political, media pressures to sway the election in his favor. It's not the first time, just one of the FEW times the national media has keep the spotlight shining on lady justice to ensure that truth prevailed.
Media has brought other miscarriages of justice into the public spotlight, from wrongly convicted rapists and murders to a young man sentenced to ten years prison for consensual oral sex and another teen finally exonerated in a child pornography accusation after his family paid $250,000 in legal fees.
These are the cases which the news spotlight should beam. The Paris Hilton fiasco has shown the difficulties dealing with famous people in a lock down facility. Sure, her family got to go past the others in line, with all the cameras, reporters, and others pushing and shoving, it would have been a near riot for them to stand like everyone else.
In fact, the superior court judge faces blame, more than the sheriff, for ordering the woman brought in at a time when media and onlookers could have easily caused an accident injuring officers, prisoner, or innocent bystanders. At least L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca knew the dilemma with 24- hour photographers and media and moved his unwelcome guest in the dark of night.
Lastly, celebrities and athletes are people. They make mistakes. They have emotions. They act human. But due to their status, all of their statements and actions often end up on television or in print. Since they are 'human,' celebs will make mistakes from DUI to other sins of the flesh. Why do we expect otherwise?
Depending upon your beliefs, only one perfect human has every walked the earth and he was murdered through capital punishment on a cross. That's not to say that the Hiltons, Mosses and others should get a get out of trouble free card. Now, but their 'punishment' and now trivialized rehabilitation must be in a form that drains governmental resources.
I do not have to pen what would likely happen to Mel Gibson, Matthew McConaughey , Paris Hilton, or Lindsay Lohan in the 'general population.' Incredibly, these stars likely have insurance on them too. A request to have two of the Warner Bros. cast do a mock cheerleader chin up brought a "too much liability" reaction form a source close to the university.
L. Lewis "Scooter" Libby likely will not draw the crowds, but a movie hunk or beauty, well, they present their own set of security perils for the judicial system.
The Los Angels Times reported that Ms. Hilton will do more time in prison that a large percentage of average violators simply because a just 'wanted to make an example.'
I support a different viewpoint --- fair yes, but celebs condemning various sins would potentially have greater impact. And, of course, in the DUI, just, as I said previously, take the dame's license and let a chauffeur drive her to and from parties. She can afford it.
Come to think of it, that would paradox the friends don't let friends drive drunk. Instead, employees do not let their employer drive impaired.
But, which case(s) have made the greatest mockery of justice? Paris? Libby? Stewart? Nifong, the North Carolina prosecutor? Fred Zain's falsifications? Detention without change at our base in Cuba? Those unnamed and unpublicized men and women still imprisoned without the benefit of publicity, bucks and a good attorney? Those wrongly 'murdered' a.k.a. executed in the name of the state?
Anyone care for a poll?